The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-01
AN INCIDENT IN MR.. DAVIS LIFE
How Mrs Noble Missed Her Trunk
and Accused an Old Gentleman.

| A story, as yet unpublished, about ex-
President Davis, shows him in lofty light
and with pure character.
Away back in the thirties, there came to
| the United States James Noble, an English
man, from Cornwall. He was a machinist
and man of family. After some eighteen
years residence in Reading, Pa, he came
South in February, 1855, to look around for
location. In May of that same year he
came out again, bound for this city to make
it his home, and to engage in manufacturing
machinery
Mr.. Sam Noble chartered sailing vessel
and loaded it with machinery, tools and APP
prentices and sailed for the port of Savan-
nah. His father, with his mother and other
members of the family took passage for
Charleston, S. G.. In due time each ship
reached its port and the head of the family
with his flock took the cars en- route to their
new home.
The family carried their jewels and
some $4,000 in gold in an old-fashioned
English hand chest. 1t became necessary
to expose their valuables to view in paying
some additional money for their car fare.
Sharp eyes were on the alert, and the glitter
of the rich contents of that chest caught
them. AS matter of precaution Miss Mary
Noble was seated in shut-of section of the
car with her back against the door. The trip
was dull, and there were no other passengers
aboard. Arrived at Branchville, two gen
tlemen came on board. One was a wiry,
young looking man, the other tall and
slender man, past the meridian of life, but
very distinguished looking. When Augusta
was reached the two men went their way
| to Atlanta and the Mobiles soon after dis
| covered that the chest containing the gold
| and other valuables was missing The con-
ductor was appealed to, and he instantly
IL, Al.% IL -
| ing stolen it.
1t was evidently snatched out of the win
dow when Miss Mary Mobiles attention was
| fixed in some other direction.
After consultation it was decided that
Mrs. Noble, accompanied by Miss Mary,
should proceed to Atlanta and cause the ar
rest of the supposed thief, while Mr.. Noble
and the Others awaited the result, vainly
| hoping to recover their treasure.
| Mrs Noble succeeded in tracing the two
men to their stopping places and identified
| them by sight. They were arrested and
carried to headquarters. Arrived there the
| astonishing discovery was made that the
| two persons were Hon. Secretary of War
Jefferson Davis, of President Pierce's Cabi-
net, and his private secretary. Mr. Davis
took the whole matter good humoredly, and
| of course the gentlemen were released with
full apologies. Before parting, Mr. Davis
| realizing the loss and condition of Mrs.
Noble and her daughter, rendered them a
twenty dollar gold piece, which Mrs Noble
declined; not so with Miss Mary, who said
Eyes, take it mama, that's some of our
money the old villain took"
Mr.. Davis still good humoredly pressed it
upon Mrs. Noble and she took it, and re-
| turned to realize that he was poorer in
purse but richer in her estimate of human
nature.
Mr.. Noble was man all doubled with
years but with mind as clear as his eyes
are bright. He first objected to saying any
! thing about the embarrassing circumstances
for fear of wounding Mr. Davis feelings.
When assured that nothing of nature
damaging to Mr.. Davis could come of the
publication, but on the other hand it would
cause him to shine with lustre more charm
! ing in character, he told the principal points
in the above narrative and those that fol-
| low.
| He and his sons, expert machinists,
reached Rome and established there the
| first plant for making machinery and en-
gines, and mining machinery especially
| They made the machinery for the celebrated
| Ducktown gold mines.
From the year 1855 to 1872, the Mobiles
made their name for honest, hard working
| citizens in Rome. When the war came on
Mr.. James Noble, learning of Mr.. Davis
election to the Presidency of the Confed-
| eracy, went to Montgomery for the purpose
of contracting with the authorities with a
view to manufacturing cannon While
there his business brought him into con-
tact with Mr.. Davis, who remembered the
| peculiar relations brought about by the loss
of the chest. He introduced Mr. Noble to
Mrs. Davis, laughingly abiding to the ar
rest, of which Mrs. Davis had been APP
prised, and she joined in the laugh. The
result of Mr.. Mobiles visit was the turning
of all his talents and his sons to making
cannon for the Southern Confederacy In
his own language he expressed the most ex-
allied respect and admiration for Mr. Davis
He said: ~ made hundreds of cannon for
him, and tell you he is grand man, a
good man. | would so much like to see him
again"
When told that Mr.. Davis would likely
visit Macon during thu fair. he said.
II must try and go over there to see him.
| would like to see him one more time.n
The story of the Mobiles since 1872 is well
told in the beautiful city of Admission,
where curling smoke from towering stacks
makes background for sparks of gold that
shoot from tho molten wealth of the fur
mace.
A beautiful stone cottage, erected for their
parents by tho Noble boys is one of the
tasty adornments of the beautiful landscape
that runs out to the foot of the Blue noun
tain. All the living members of the family
will soon be residents of the model city.
PERCY CLARK.
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